It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish.

That sentiment proved to be true as upsets highlighted Day 1 on the boys side of the Texaco/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships on Friday at Cannon Activities Center.

Five wrestlers took down seeded opponents in the first round. Three of them battled their way into the semifinals.

At 138 pounds, Kapolei’s Mayhem Woolsey beat ILH champion and No. 2 seed Kai Sekigawa of ‘Iolani. Woolsey never trailed in the upset win. Sekigawa tied the match early in the third period after being behind through the first two, but Woolsey regained the lead for good with four points in the final 20 seconds.

“I was feeling good,” Woolsey said. “(Sekigawa) is a technical wrestler. I just knew that I had to be a lot smarter if I wanted to beat him. So that’s what I looked to do when I got into the match.”

Following the upset win, Woolsey faced a familiar opponent in Leilehua’s Daniel Tauyan. After falling in last week’s OIA semifinals, Woolsey took on Tauyan for a chance at a third-place finish. Tauyan got the better of Woolsey in that meeting, winning 12-4.

“I’ve known Daniel for over a year now,” Woolsey said. “I wrestled him last year. He’s gotten so much better, and I’ve been so proud of him. I wrestled him the offseason, during training too. Last week, I wrestled him after coming off a loss in the semifinal. I was down. I had no confidence, knowing that my coach couldn’t be there. I was mentally checked out. But it feels good now to avenge that loss. I knew that I’ve always been able to compete with and beat him. But this match has reminded me that I could.”

In their quarterfinal matchup on Friday, Tauyan again took an early lead. After trailing for 5:41, Woolsey took down Tauyan and scored with three back points to claim the win at the buzzer.

“It was funny. After I got hit in the head and I was taken to injury time, I thought to myself, I’m going to come back into the match and get — in the last few seconds — takedown, back points,” Woolsey said. “I thought it, which is crazy to me thinking about it now. Last week at OIAs, I lost in the semifinal rounds. Last 10 seconds, with a takedown and back points. So I thought it would be good to do it again, for the win.”

In the first round at 132 pounds, King Kekaulike’s Kanoa Iwankiw took down ILH champion and No. 4 seed Hoakeakamanaolana Salter of Kamehameha. Salter led 3-2 after the first period, but Iwankiw fought back to tie the match at 4-4 in the second period. Iwankiw took control of the match in the third, outscoring Salter 3-0 in the final period after escaping a pin at 0:47, then taking Salter down at 0:41.

“It gave me a lot of confidence,” Iwankiw said about the upset win.

Iwankiw continued his unlikely run, beating Kealakehe’s Carl Trinidad in a dominant 18-5 win. He took control of the bout early, scoring eight points in each of the first and second periods. Trinidad scored just four points in that span.

“Tired. Happy.” Iwankiw said. “I never really thought I’d be getting this far in my first year wrestling. I’m feeling good.”

Radford’s Boyd Durand beat ILH champion and No. 3 seed Traven Wailehua of Kamehameha in the first round at 160. Durand got off to a strong start, outscoring Wailehua 4-0 in the first period. Each wrestler scored a point in the second period, before Durand clinched the win with a reversal (1:32) and a takedown (0:32) to outscore Wailehua 4-1 in the final period for a 9-2 win.

Durand beat Lahainaluna’s Ikaika Gonzales in the quarterfinal 7-4. Durand trailed 3-2 after two periods, but he fought back with a 5-1 third period to reach the semifinal.

Radford’s Isaac Liechty and Leilehua’s Preston Raymond rounded out the preliminary round upsets. Liechty took down No. 2 seed Chaser Boaz of Lahainaluna 13-7 in the 170 classy. Raymond beat ILH champion and No. 3 seed Hiipoikaiponomalie Rees of Kamehameha 2-1 in the 182 class, scoring on a reversal early in the third period.

Liechty and Raymond eventually fell in the quarterfinal round.

With Day 1 now in the books, the wrestlers who survived turn their focus to the second and final day of the tournament.

“I try to keep my confidence as high as possible. Because I know that the second it goes down, that’s when I start wrestling bad,” Woolsey said. “It’s my last tournament, state championships. So I have to be as mentally prepared and capable as I possibly can.”

BOYS

Preliminary round

106—Hunter Berger (StL) def. Jayzon Sheldon (Camp), fall, 3:16; Koan Hotema (Kaln) def. Matt Ohara (Waik), 16-1; Irving Bicoy (PC) def. Thomas Ramos (Kauai), fall, 3:15; Ryder Armitage (Lah) def. Alexander Kaai (ULS), 8-4; Lawrence Sina (Kona) def. Colt Kalaukoa (Cas), fall, :44; Caden Guevara (Mil) def. Kaulana Esmena-Faria (KS), 15-4; Jake Tamaribuchi (Iol) def. Kaimana Hammond-Reye (Bald), 9-3; Zairyn Ramos-Semana (Kapo) def. Tripson Kerisiano Jr. (Aiea), fall, 2:39.

113—Marcus Marinas (Bald) def. Sean Geyrozaga (Mil), fall, :36; Pai’ea Kamakaala (Kah) def. Blaze-Ke Amano (ULS), 11-2; Eli Suan (StL) def. Jhann Ma Cruz (Kauai), fall, 1:18; Charles Hao (KSH) def. Rev Baptista (Aiea), fall, 2:57; Joshua Estabillio (Moan) def. Elisha Lum (HBA), fall, 2:33; James MaCall (KK) def. Rancin Teeples (Hilo), 9-5; Ckristia Oliva (Lanai) def. Mark Basillio (Kona), 9-5; Evan Kusumoto (KS) def. Khairyn Vilavong (Camp), fall, 3:31.

120—Kulika Corpuz (Mil) def. Draezyn Tanaka (Moan), fall, 2:00; Chayce-Lee Nakila-Victorino (Keaau) def. Carson Miyaguchi (Pun), fall, 3:40; Joshua Frias (Iol) def. De’Andre Gonzales (Waim), 16-1; Diesel Del Rosario (Lanai) def. Yuki Uchishiba (Waip), fall, :32; Andre Gantala (Kona) def. Konapili Lunn (KS), fall, 1:16; Maxwell Calandra (Kais) def. Keona Holokai-Basa (Bald), 7-5; Jona Dudoit (Mol) def. Shawn Kato (Camp), 13-6; Logan Lau (MPI) def. Iokewe Ahuna (Keaau), fall, :23.

126—Koen Shigemoto (Mil) def. Roman Skonecki (Cas), 8-4; Randy Esperanza (Bald) def. Nalu Chinen-Zablan (DMS), fall, 1:50; Noah McKenzie (KS) def. Kaylo Labanon (Waim), 15-0; Kekuhi Lindsey (Lah) def. Lance Thornton (Kona), 13-1; Happy Nitahara (KSM) def. Rylen Gonda (Wain), 14-4; Ryker Shimabukoro (Kapo) def. Kuhaupio Pratt (KSH), 18-1; Ethan Tabayoyong (Camp) def. Thomas Miura (Waik), 16-1; Brendan Sekulich (Pun) def. Jayden Seson (Moan), 11-3.

132—Jaren Kimura (Mil) def. Tyler Geronimo (DMS), fall, 3:08; Kalani Yokote (Bald) def. Elias Sakaguchi (KSH), 10-9; Carl Trinidad (Keaau) def. Brayden Cadiz (Kauai), fall, 5:32; Kanoa Iwankiw (KK) def. Hoakeakamanaolana Salter (KS), 7-4; Tyler Yoshiyama (Hilo) def. Cody Pascual (Kapo), fall, 1:27; Gavin Buelow (Pun) def. Damon Gasilos (Far), fall, 1:43; LJ Pasion (Moan) def. Alika Onaga (MPI), 7-6; Mikah Labuanan (KSM) def. Kai Caravalho (Kona), fall, 2:26.

138—Tyger Taam (Moan) def. Keaton Tomas (PC), fall, 1:32; Kawika Naweli (KS) def. Tony Passetti (Maui), 6-5; Zion Amerson (StL) def. Jayden Manibog (Kauai), fall, 3:53; Ryder Baptista (Aiea) def. Zackary Lapenia (KSH), 6-5; Nainoa Silva (KSM) def. Logan Hackbarth (Mil), 17-2; Hakuilua Paaluhi (Wain) def. Malachi Wilson (Pah), 14-1; Daniel Tauyan (Lei) def. Richie Wolf (Waik), 17-8; Mayhem Woolsey (Kapo) def. Kai Sekigawa (Iol), 6-2.

145—Bransen Porter (Wain) def. Joshua Adinwin (Moan), fall, 2:18; Connor Furuta (Pun) def. Chayden Bertelmann (KSH), 7-1; Akoni Kaaialii (KS) def. Jayred Tumbaga (Waim), fall, 1:48; Kannon Dunbar (Bald) def. Nathaniel Ferraris (Waip), 10-4; Akea Cariaga (Hilo) def. Riku Theos (Lei), fall, :36; Gabriel Grilho (Aiea) def. Kia’i Kalipi (KSM), fall, 3:31; Joe Verville (Cas) def. Giovanni Baltazar-Membrilla (Lah), 5-2; Kaihi Cobb-Adams (StL) def. Ikaika Chock (McK), 4-2.

152—Keegan Goeas (Cas) def. Gavin Simon (McK), fall, 5:17; Samson Paaluhi (KS) def. Ryder Garcia (HBA), fall, 3:15; Justyce Mercado (Pun) def. Isaac Funtanilla (Waim), 16-1; Bryson Adric (Bald) def. Chance Garcia (Kapo), 5-2; Zayvien Balisacan (StL) def. Bradly Rocha (Waik), fall, 1:48; Jace Kim-Cadiz (PC) def. Makai Farm (KK), fall, 2:27; Kahiwa Augustiro (Mol), 6-4; Xander Erolin (Han) def. Kamahao Halemanu (KSH), 21-6.

160—Nai Hasegawa (Bald) def. Elijah Dominici (Cas), fall, 1:24; Kai Simmons (Moan) def. Casey Honbo (Iol), 11-4; Steinar Tanaka (Kais) def. Shawn Parraga (Waim), fall, 1:55; Micah Tabar (Pun) def. David Ortiz-Strau (Kona), 8-2; Boyd Durand (Rad) def. Traven Wailehua (KS), fall, 5:51; Ikaika Gonzales (Lah) def. Nawai Freeman (Hilo), fall, 5:52; Ekolu Horner (Mol) def. Donovan Valeros (Waik), fall, 2:41; Adrian Lee (Mil) def. Raphael Dela Cruz (Aiea), fall, 5:22.

170—Brycen Pagurayan (Kapo) def. Keaopopo Kalahiki (Kah), fall, 1:15; Elias Hamp (KK) def. Kameron Arizumi (Pun), 6-3; Tauatain Tuikolongaha (KS) def. Jayze Sasil (Kapo), fall, 2:36; Samson Edwards (PC) def. Alek Trinidad (Hilo), 7-6; Johan Machida (Iol) def. GXXR Young (Wain), fall, 2:00; Jensen Tanele (Camp) def. Kanai Lyons-Kaleo (KSH), fall, 1:26; Tyler Shields (Kalh) def. Keenan Coupens (Kona), fall, 1:37; Isaac Liechty (Rad) def. Chaser Boaz (Lah), 13-7.

182—Jonas Baekkeland (Moan) def. Hugh Shimonishi (Roos), fall, 2:46; Elisha Horner (Mol) def. Adrian Ponce (HBA), fall, :53; Ethan Ito (Pun) def. Nakoa Lovell-Obata (Kauai), fall, 1:55; Dorian Payton-Sherm (PC) def. Nick Maira (Kona), fall, 3:51; Preston Raymond (Lei) def. Hiipoikaiponomalie Rees (KS), 2-1; Elijah Pinales (Kapo) def. Uriah Leedy (Waik), fall, 2:00; Jerusalem Jackson (Mil) def. Jahlil Pearson (Keal), fall, 1:01; Jackson Hussey (Lah) def. Marques Ramos-Horton (Rad), 9-6.

195—Keawe Kane-Keahi (Lah) def. Jacob Chang (Waip), fall, :25; William Gaucher (Kais) def. Aka Malina (DMS), fall, 1:52; Kiainalu Tuikolongaha (Kail) def. Jaevyn Navarro (Kauai), 11-0; Johnny Sailele (Wain) def. Kainalu Aurello (Hilo), 6-4; Malakai Holland (StL) def. Kyle Correa (PC), 5-1; Toa Mata’afa-Grove (Bald) def. Teyon Bailey (Keal), 15-8; Robert Gamble (Keaau) def. Sky Abilay (Maui), fall, 2:57; Maika Kahele Akeo (Kapo) def. Malakai Kaumavae (Moan), 8-2.

220—Rodstan Salangdron (Kapo) def. Apiolea Fonoimoana (Kah), fall, 2:00; Chad Miguel (Bald) def. Jayse Uemura (MPI), fall, 2:15; Jordan Fuifui (StL) def. Isaac Pa Bilyeu (Kapo), 3-1; Nehasi Faleofa (Keal) def. Kadyn Pia-Gibson (Lei), fall, 5:28; Sanalio Vehikite (Lah) def. Setu Setu (Waip), fall, 1:24; Yong Vanderlei (Wain) def. Andrew Sebastian (HBA), fall, :45; Joedon Kapihe (PC) def. Thor Jongert (Kona), 6-1; Kainoa Gonzales (KS) def. Christia Carlisle (Cas), fall, :37.

285—Scotty Dikilato (KS) def. Caden Townsend (Wail), fall, 1:34; Kanale Coelho (Lei) def. Kekai Poisoda (Keal), fall, 4:59; Brayden Mailo (Kah) def. Chanstin Uahinui-Vega (Keaau), fall, 1:47; Pita Takafua (Bald) def. Kekoa Nakooka (Hilo), fall, :28; Gabriel Alone (HBA) def. Kelton Haasenritter (PC), fall, :28; Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres (StL) def. Blessing Levasa (Kapo), 7-5; Kawika Hallums (Pun) def. Ezekiel Kanemitsu-Gomez (Lah), 1-0; Caleb Lauifi (Waip) def. Jerahmya Maafala (Mil), fall, 1:43.

Quarterfinals

106—Berger def. Hotema, 15-0; Bicoy def. Armitage, 11-5; Guevara def. Sina, 17-2; Ramos-Sema def. Tamaribuchi, fall, :55.

113—Marinas def. Kamakaala, fall, 5:53; Suan def. Hao, 10-6; Estabillio def. MaCall, 5-0; Kusumoto def. Oliva, fall, :48.

120—Corpuz def. Nakila-Victorino, fall, 2:35; Del Rosario def. Frias, fall, 3:51; Gantala def. Calandra, fall, 3:55; Lau def. Dudoit, 3-1.

126—Shigemoto def. Esperanza, 7-0; McKenzie def. Lindsey, 15-8; Nitahara def. Shimabukoro, 9-5; Sekulich def. Tabayoyong, 15-2. 132—Kimura def. Yokote, 11-4; Iwankiw def. Trinidad, 18-5; Yoshiyama def. Buelow, 11-8; Labuanan def. Pasion, 16-1.

138—Taam def. Naweli, fall, 2:41; Amerson def. Baptsita, 8-0; Paaluhi def. Silva, 4-2; Woolsey def. Tauyan, 5-3.

145—Porter def. Furuta, 13-1; Kaaialii def. Dunbar, 7-2; Grilho def. Carlaga, 5-2; Cobb-Adams def. Verville, 5-0. 152—Goeas def. Paaluhi, 10-1; Mercado def. Adric, fall, 5:01; Balisacan def. Kim-Cadiz, fall, 2:57; Erolin def. Augustiro, 14-2.

160—Hasegawa def. Simmons, 3-0; Tanaka def. Tabar, 5-4; Durand def. Gonzales, 7-4; Lee def. Horner, 12-0.

170—Pagurayan def. Hamp, fall, 1:33; Tuikolonga def. Edwards, fall, 5:58; Tanele def. Machida, fall, 1:54; Shields def. Liechty, fall, :42. 182—Baekkeland def. Horner, fall, 1:18; Payton-Sherm def. Ito, 7-2; Pinales def. Raymond, 4-1; Jackson def. Hussey, fall, 2:34.

195—Kane-Keahi def. Gaucher, fall, 2:00; Sailele def. Tuikolonga, 1-0; Holland def. Mata’afa-Grove, 6-2; Kahele Akeo def. Gamble, inj., 1:04.

220—Salangdron def. Miguel, fall, 1:32; Faleofa def. Fuifui, 10-3; Vanderlei def. Vehikite, 8-4; Kapihe def. Gonzales, SV 4-3.

285—Dikilato def. Coelho, 5-2; Mailo def. Takafua, fall, 3:16; Ka’aha’aina-Torres def. Aiona, 7-3; Lauifi def. Hallums, fall, :54.

Today’s semifinals

106—Hunter Berger (StL) vs. Irving Bicoy (PC); Caden Guevara (Mil) vs. Zairyn Ramos-Semana (Kapo).

113—Marcus Marinas (Bald) vs. Eli Suan (StL); Joshua Estabillio (Moan) vs. Evan Kusumoto (KS).

120—Kulika Corpuz (Mil) vs. Diesel Del Rosario (Lanai); Andre Gantala (Kona) vs. Logan Lau (MPI).

126—Koen Shigemoto (Mil) vs. Noah McKenzie (KS); Happy Nitahara (KSM) vs. Brendan Sekulich (Pun).

132—Jaren Kimura (Mil) vs. Kanoa Iwankiw (KK); Tyler Yoshiyama (Hilo) vs. Mikah Labuanan (KSM).

138—Tyger Taam (Moan) vs. Zion Amerson (StL); Hakuilua Paaluhi (Wain) vs. Mayhem Woolsey (Kapo).

145—Bransen Porter (Wain) vs. Akoni Kaaialii (KS); Gabriel Grilho (Aiea) vs. Kaihi Cobb-Adams (StL).

152—Keegan Goeas (Cas) vs. Justyce Mercado (Pun); Zayvien Balisacan (StL) vs. Xander Erolin (Han).

160—Nai Hasegawa (Bald) vs. Steinar Tanaka (Kais); Boyd Durand (Rad) vs. Adrian Lee (Mil).

170—Brycen Pagurayan (Kapo) vs. Tauatain Tuikolongaha (KS); Jensen Tanele (Camp) vs. Tyler Shields (Kalh).

182—Jonas Baekkeland (Moan) vs. Dorian Payton-Sherm (PC); Elijah Pinales (Kapo) vs. Jerusalem Jackson (Mil).

195—1. Keawe Kane-Keahi (Lah) vs. Johnny Sailele (Wain); Malakai Holland (StL) vs. Maika Kahele Akeo (Kapo).

220—Rodstan Salangdron (Kapo) vs. Nehasi Faleofa (Keal); Yong Vanderlei (Wain) vs. Joedon Kapihe (PC).

285—Scotty Dikilato (KS) vs. Brayden Mailo (Kah); Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres (StL) vs. Caleb Lauifi (Waip).